Full Sail
She feels like a ship in a bottle,
its sails pulled erect, through its neck
by a man with a string.
He sighs with pleasure,
as he seals it with a cork.
Placing her on an ornate shelf,
he can keep an eye on her,
admire her graceful lines.
She dreams of catching an evening tide
and a small but effective hammer.
Rachael Clyne is widely published in journals. Her recent pamphlet, Girl Golem (4word.org) is about her migrant origins and sense of otherness. She is involved in climate activism and hopes the lockdown has made us see sense.